Apparatus for electrolytically extracting and depositing gold and silver from their ores.



N0. 668,842. Patented Feb. 26, IQUI.

A. M. HOUSE.

APPARATUS FOR ELECTROLYTICALLY EXTBAGTING AND DEPOSITING GOLD AND SILVERFRUM THEIB ORES.

(Application filed May 28, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Shaeta$hoet I WAS No.668,842. Patented Fb. 2s. l90l.

A. M. HOUSE. APPARATUS FDR ELECTRDLYTICALLY EXTRACTING AND DEPDSITINGGOLD AND SILVER FROM THEIR DRES.

(Application filed may 28, 1900.)

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ALBION M. ROUSE, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WVILLIAMG. SHEDD AND FRANK BROOKS, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR ELECTROLYTICALLY EXTRACTING AND DEPOSITING GOLD AND SILVERFROM THEIR ORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters .Patent No. 668,842, datedFebruary 26, 1901.

Application filed May 28, 1900. be al 110- 18,252. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it vnay concern:

Be it known that LALBION M. ROUSE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of 0010- rado,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus forElectrolytically Extracting and Depositing Gold and Silver from theirOres, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for service in electrolyticalextraction and deposition in removing gold and silver from orepulpcontaining them, the object of the invention being to provide better andmore efficient means and conditions in and by which the metals are moreefficientiy precipitated onto the cathodes arranged in the apparatus.

My invention consists in feat ures of novelty hereinafter fullydescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I is a top or plan view of my improved apparatus with partsomitted to better illustrate portions that would be obscured thereby.Fig. II is an enlarged detail top view of a fragment of one of the tubsof the apparatus and parts of the anode and cathode supportingring-sections located therein. Fig. III is a cross-sectional view takenon line III III, Fig. II. Fig. IV is a detail side elevation of one ofthe anode and cathode supporting ring-sections and the parts carriedthereby, one of the section'supporting cross-bars being shown sectionalon line IV IV, Fig. II. Fig. V is a vertical sectional view takenthrough the apparatus on the line V V, Fig. I. Fig. VI is an enlargedcross-sectional view taken on line VI VI, Fig. I. Fig. VII is alongitudinal sectional view taken on line VII VII, Fig. VI.

As shown in the drawings, there are in the apparatus a series of tubsthat are all arranged in communication at both top and bottom with acentrally-located agitation-tube through which the ore-pulp undertreatment is constantly passed, said pulp being originally placed in thetubs of the series, from which, in the operation of the apparatus, it iswithdrawn into the lower end of the centrallylocated tube and raised bymechanical means to the upper end of the tube to pass again into thetubs and among the anodes and cathodes arranged therein in a swirlingmanner occasioned by the agitation produced in the mass of ore-pulp incarrying it upwardly through the central tube and discharging ittherefrom into the tubs. By this arrangement I provide for a largetonnage capacity in the tubs in which the deposit of the metals iselectrolytically accomplished.

1 designates the tubs, which, as shown, are four in number; but two orany greater number of such tubs may be utilized in conjunction with eachother without departing from my invention, the four shown beingillustrated only for example. The tubs l are constructed of uppercylindrical sections 2 and lower conical sections 3, (see Fig. V,) thesaid sections being joined by a hoop i and tie-rods 5, connected to saidhoop. The conical sec tions 3 are provided at their lower ends withdischarge-mouths 6, (see Figs. I and V,) and they are seated upon theopen ends of conducting-pipes 7, having flanges 8, that receive thelower ends of the tie-rods 5. The conducting-pipes 7 lead to and areconnected to a centrally-located tube 9, having a conical aperturedbottom 10, that is normally closed by a valve 11, carried by a lever 12,held by suitable means, such as the pin 13. (See Fig. V.) The bottom 10is located above a trough 14, adapted to receive the discharge of refusefrom the tube 9.

15 designates the shaft of an agitator having its lower end journaledin'a slotted bearing-block 16 (see Fig. V) and provided withagitator-blades 17, designed to be rotated and to perform the service ofelevating the orepulp from the lower end of the tube 9 as it isdelivered thereinto from the conducting pipes 7. Communication from theupper end of the tube 9 into the upper ends of the tubs 1 is provided byducts 18, that pass through the walls of the tube and tubs and throughinterposed joint-blocks 19, these ducts permitting the conveyance of theore-pulp from the tube 9 as it is raised therein to the upper ends ofthe tubs in the manner to be hereinafter explained.

The upper end of the tube 9 is closed by a cap 20, through which theagitator-shaft 15 passes, and the cap is surmounted bya bearing member21, provided with a raceway for antifriction-balls 22, (see Fig. V,)that receive and support a pinion 23, carried by the agitator-shaft, thesaid antifriction-balls being designed to carry the weight and thrust ofthe agitator shaft, blades, and pinion to permit easy movement of saidparts. The pinion 23 receives the mesh of a pinion 24 on a shaft 25,journaled in suitable supports and provided with a pulley 26, to whichpower is applied to drive the agitator.

Within the tube 9, at the location of the blades 17, are Wear-receivingshield-rings 27, that serve as protection for the interior of the tube.

28 designates slotted blocks located at the bottoms of the tubs 1 andthrough which the ore-pulp passes to the conveying-pipes 7.

29 designates casings suitably supported in the upper ends-of the tubs 1and extending transversely thereacross. Within these casings areperforated conduits 30, (see.Figs. I, VI, and VII,) that receive theore-pulp as it passes from the tube 9 through the ducts 18 to the tubsl. The orepulp passes from the conduits 30 into the tubs through theperforations therein. As it flows through the perforations it isdeflected by deflectors 31 (see Fig. VI) onto chutes 32, arranged atangles to the rounded bottoms of the conduits, whereby the pulp isdischarged into the tubs tangentially onto the mass of pulp contained bythe tubs, which is maintained at a level immediately beneath saidchutes. The force with which the ore-pulp is delivered into the tubsfrom the conduits depends entirely upon the rapidity of motion of theagitator within the tube 9, which constantly works the pulp upwardlythrough said tube and into said conduits, and as the pulp is conveyedthrough the conduits onto the chutes 32 its force is directed againstthe mass of ore-pulp contained by the tubs, which causes a swirlingaction of said mass to be effected for the purpose to be hereinafterexplained.

33 designates cross-bars secured to the walls of the tubs l and theconduit-casings 29. These cross-bars form supports for ring-sections 34,arranged concentrically within the tubs.

35 designates positive-current wires secured to the ring-sections 34,and 36 designates anodes having their upper ends folded over said wires35 and fixed to the ring-sections by binding-screws 37.

38 designates the cathodes, having hooked upper ends suspended from thenegativecur rent wires 39, that are attached to the ringsections 34,said cathodes being held in place by means of loops 40 and wedges 41,inserted through said loops to bind against the cathodes, whereby suchcathodes may be readily removed and replaced by new ones each time thata clean-up of the apparatus is made.

It is of importance inan apparatus for electrolytically treatingore-pulp that the pulp be kept at a temperature from 90 to 120, and toobtain antlmaintain such temperature I provide means for heating thepulp, which comprises heater-tubes 42, cen trally located in the tubs land having their lower ends closed and seated upon the blocks 28 at thebottoms of the tubs and their closed u pperends secured to thecross-bars 33. Steam isintroduced into these heatertubes from asteam-pipe 43 to provide the necessary heat therein. 44 designates dripor drain pipes leading from said heater-tubes and arranged to dischargeinto the trough 14. By the use of these heating devices with the otherparts of the apparatus I am enabled to fix and maintain the best degreeof temperature and to save hours of time on every batch of ore-pulptreated in the apparatus.

The anodes used in my apparatus are preferably of sheet-lead. Thecathodes are made from the precipitate resulting from the extraction anddeposition thereon of metals from a previous batch of gold or silver orepulp treated, such cathodes being produced by melting the cathodespreviously used with the precipitate gathered thereon in the previousoperation of the apparatus, such cathode being melted each time that aclean-up of the apparatus is effected and cast in molds to producecathodes for subsequent use in the apparatus, and they may be in theform of plain or corrugated plates or any other desirable construction.The use of the precipitate bearing previously-used cathodes recast andmade into new cathodes from an economical standpoint is obvious, for thereason that at every clean-up of the apparatus new cathodes may beformed in hot-metal molds direct from a crucible, and the operator mayalways maintain a supply of the cathodes in stock for use. Furthermore,silver and gold. are excellent conductors of electricity, silver beingrated at one hundred and gold at seventy-five and equal parts alloyed ateightyseven per cent. A still more valuable feature, however, lies inthe fact that when the cathodes are removed from the apparatus the metalis almost, if not quite, free from baser metals and is in condition forthe crucible Without the necessity of having to separate the gold andsilver from the baser metals from which the cathodes now in general useare made.

In the practical use of my apparatus the valve 11, closing the bottom ofthe tube 9, is fixed in closed position, and the agitator, composed ofthe shaft 15 and blades 17, is set in motion, after which the ore-pulpto be treated is introduced into the tubs 1. The pulp should be of aboutequal weights of ore and water, forming a mass semifiuid or pasty. Atthis stage the solvents to be used should be introduced into the tubswith the mass of ore-pulp,(such solvents being preferablycyanid ofpotassium, sodium chlorid, .bromin, and oxygen, combined to suitprevailing conditions.) The electrical current is then switched into thecurrent-wires 35 and 39 and should be from five to ten volts and fromfifty to one hundred amperes to suit conditions. The agitator in thetube 9 being in motion, the pulp will pass from the tubs to theconveying-pipes 7 and be drawn into the tube 9 and carried upwardlythrough said tube to be discharged therefrom through the ducts 18 intothe conduits 30 and therefrom in steady streams into the mass of orepulp. The streams from the conduits discharging over the chutes 32 actwith force against the mass of ore-pulp within the tubs and cause aswirling action of said mass, and the swirling of the mass, with thegravitation thereof, results in a spiral m'otion of the pulp as it flowsaround the anode and cathode electrodes, during which the cathodesgather the dissolved particles of metals in the pulp.

As the solvents used in the extraction and deposition of gold and silverare of very low percentage of strength, their action on such metalswould be slow without the combined action of electricity and theswirling of the metals as the pulp passes through the tube 9, and,furthermore, the action of the weak solvent on the particles of gold andsilver forms coatings on the surfaces of the particles that retardsfurther action until such coating has been removed. The removal of thecoatings I accomplish by the swirling action produced upon the metalscontained by the pulp as they are agitated in passing upwardly throughthe tube 9.

I am aware that it is not now to use cathodes of gold and silver in anapparatus for electrolytically treating ore-pulp, and I disclaimcathodes of such metals, broadly considered; but so far as my knowledgegoes it has never heretofore been proposed to make such cathodes fromthe cathodes previously used with the precipitate thereon, and this Imaintain to be a most valuable feature, in view of the advantageshereinbefore named relative to cathodes so made.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an apparatus of the class described, thecombination of a series of tubs adapted to contain the ore-pulp to betreated, anodes and cathodes arranged in said tubs, an agitation-tubehaving communication with said tubs at the upper and lower ends thereof,and an agitatorlocated in said tube; substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a seriesof tubs, anodes and cathodes arranged in said tubs, an agitation-tubehaving communication with said tubs at both their upper and lower ends,an agitator located in said tube having means by which the ore-pulp tobe treated may be elevated therein, and perforated conduits located inthe upper ends of said tubs adapted to receive the ore-pulp from saidtube, and discharge it into said tubs; substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a seriesof pulp-receiving tubs, anodes and cathodes arranged in said tubs, anagitation-tube having communication with said tubs at their upper andlower ends, an agitator arranged in said tube, perforated conduitslocated in the upper ends of said tubs, and chutes located beneath saidconduits onto which the ore pulp is discharged; substantially asdescribed.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a seriesof pulp-receiving tubs, anodes and cathodes arranged in said tubs, anagitation-tube having communication with said tubs at their upper andlower ends, an agitator arranged in said tube, perforated conduitslocated in the upper ends of said tubs, chutes located beneath saidconduits onto which the ore-pulp is discharged, and deflectors locatedbeside said conduits adapted to direct the flow of pulp onto said chutesas it passes through said conduits; substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a seriesof tubs, anodes and cathodes arranged in said tubs, an agitation-tubehaving communication with said tubs at the upper and lower ends thereof,an agitator comprising a shaft and blades, and wear-receiving ringspositioned in said tube at the location of the said blades;substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a seriesof tubs, anodes and cathodes arranged therein, an agitationtube havingcommunication with said tubs at the upper and lower ends thereof, anagitator mounted in said tube, a pinion on the shaft of said agitatorand a ball-bearing support for said pinion, located between said supportand pinion, and means for driving said pinion, substantially asdescribed.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a seriesof tubs, anodes and cathodes arranged therein, an agitationtube havingcommunication with said tubs at the upper and lower ends thereof, anagitator in said tube, a heater-tube at the center of each tub in theseries, and means for conveying heat to said tubes; substantially asdescribed.

ALBION M. ROUSE.

In presence of EDWARD P. LEECI-I, A. S. WHITAKER.

